The holiday season is full of reds and greens: wreaths, ribbons, string lights, wrapping paper. For most people those colors pop. For some, they blur into similar shades, and many of those people do not even realize it. That is color vision deficiency, often called color blindness.
What color vision deficiency is
The National Eye Institute (NEI) explains that color vision deficiency means you see colors differently than most people, usually finding it hard to tell certain colors apart. It usually runs in families. Most people who have it do not have problems with everyday activities.
The common types
- Red-green. The most common type makes it hard to tell red from green.
- Blue-yellow. Another type makes blue and yellow look the same.
- Complete. In rare cases, people do not see color at all.
Why many people never notice
NEI notes symptoms are often so mild that they are hard to notice, and people usually adjust to how they see color. You may have trouble seeing the difference between colors, how bright colors are, or different shades of the same color.
Who is more likely to have it
Men have a much higher risk than women. NEI says about 1 in 12 men have color vision deficiency. A family history, certain eye diseases, health problems such as diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease or multiple sclerosis, and certain medicines also raise the likelihood.
It can also change later in life
Most people are born with it, but NEI notes that injury to the retina, the optic nerve or the brain can cause color vision problems, and color vision may get worse with age, often because of cataracts clouding the eye’s lens.
Children and color
NEI points out that kids with color vision deficiency may try to hide it, and it can make schoolwork harder. Consider having your child tested if there is a family history or they seem to have trouble learning colors.
Getting checked
An eye doctor can usually tell with a simple test. There is no cure, but NEI notes special glasses and contact lenses can help some people see differences between colors.
If a family member keeps mixing up the red and green ornaments this year, it might not be carelessness. It might be the way their eyes see color.
Source: Color Blindness (National Eye Institute (NIH)). This article is an educational summary written by Khanna Vision Institute and is not a substitute for medical advice.